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Mills riled by referees

Reading defender Matt Mills has hit out at the standard of refereeing in the Championship.

Last Updated: 30/09/10 2:51pm

Reading defender Matt Mills has hit out at the standard of refereeing in the Championship.

The Royals centre-back became the third player to be sent off in three games for the club in their showdown against Ipswich on Tuesday night.

Manager Brian McDermott has been left frustrated as Brian Howard saw red in the defeat to Middlesbrough 10 days previously and Zurab Khizanishvili was given his marching orders against Barnsley on Saturday.

The 24-year-old fomer Doncaster player will now miss Saturday's trip to Preston as a result of his sending off, which has riled the defender.

Joke

Mills told the club's official website: "I think the ref just wanted to even the game out. Simple as that.

"It was a joke. Brian Howard sat in the stands (serving the second game of his three-match ban) and he said the referee looked like he was conducting an orchestra or the traffic.

"The whistle was going every five minutes, arms were waving everywhere and it just gets frustrating to play in and watch.

"If we don't do anything about it will just slow our game down."

Physical

The club's £2million signing explained: "The Championship is physical and everybody who comes and plays in it talks about its nature.

"It's been like that since I've been playing in it and always will be.

"I don't know if the refs are trying to prove a point or what. But it is what it is and they have to learn to accept that."